Best VPN for Mac in 2026
Mac VPN apps come in two flavours: the App Store build, which macOS restricts, and the direct-download build, which can do split tunnelling and a proper kill switch. We have not benchmarked each on a MacBook ourselves — this list ranks the direct-download build's published feature set and notes where the App Store version falls short.
ExpressVPN's Mac app is widely regarded as the most polished; NordVPN's includes Threat Protection Pro. Both run natively on Apple silicon.
The 4 best VPNs for mac, ranked
- 1Best Mac app#4 overall · 8.8/10
ExpressVPN
Native Apple-silicon app, menu-bar control, and a kill switch. Widely regarded as the cleanest-designed Mac VPN.
- macOS app
- Native app
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- 10
- Refund
- 30 days
- 2Fastest on Mac#6 overall · 8.7/10
NordVPN
The direct-download build adds split tunnelling and Threat Protection Pro over the App Store version. We have not measured Mac speed ourselves.
- macOS app
- Native app
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- 10
- Refund
- 30 days
- 3Best value#5 overall · 8.8/10
Surfshark
Good native app with Bypasser split tunnelling; unlimited devices covers the Mac, iPhone and everything else.
- macOS app
- Native app
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- Unlimited
- Refund
- 30 days
- 4Best free Mac VPN#3 overall · 8.9/10
Proton VPN
Open-source macOS app, free plan with no cap; NetShield blocks trackers on the paid plan.
- macOS app
- Native app
- Refund
- 30 days
- Devices
- 10
- Refund
- 30 days
We earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes a rating or this order. Disclosure
Side by side
| VPN | Score | macOS app | Devices | 2-yr price | Refund | Port fwd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | 8.8 | Native app | 10 | $2.99 | 30 days | |
| NordVPN | 8.7 | Native app | 10 | $3.49 | 30 days | |
| Surfshark | 8.8 | Native app | Unlimited | $2.49 | 30 days | |
| Proton VPN | 8.9 | Native app | 10 | $3.49 | 30 days |
How we picked
We have not run our own device testing. Ranked on published features of the direct-download macOS app — native Apple-silicon support, kill switch, split tunnelling — over the more restricted App Store build.
All scores come from the same published rubric, checked monthly — how we test. Rank order on this page is by the category criteria, not by commission.
Questions
What is the best VPN for Mac?
ExpressVPN for the app, NordVPN for the feature set. Download from the provider's site rather than the Mac App Store to get the full feature set including split tunnelling.
Does macOS have a built-in VPN?
macOS can connect to a VPN server you configure manually (IKEv2, L2TP), but it needs server details from a provider. It is not a VPN service on its own.
Why does my Mac VPN disconnect after sleep?
Some apps don't re-establish the tunnel on wake by design. We have not tested sleep/wake behaviour ourselves — if it happens often, check the provider's support pages for a known fix before assuming it's your setup.
Is there a free VPN for Mac?
Proton VPN Free has a native Mac app with no data cap and an audited no-logs policy. It is the only free Mac VPN we recommend.